As a nice cheaper aside to my freelance pre grouping project I've settled on Hotwells as a layout. Hotwells was principally a passenger station but it's not going to stop me running the occasional goods. Looking at pictures the staple diet of Hotwells services are shorties of the fixed wheelbase variety. I do have some Ratio rattlers on the go. The third on the right is in the 1912 crimson lake, while the brake is in overall chocolate. A few sources have noted that between 1908 and 1912 an all over chocolate livery was tried and during WW1 a there was a policy of painting them in this colour so it still does fit in with my Edwardian setting. Today my bumper pack of home working/house arrest sanity slippage prevention equipment arrived. A couple of shire scenes U12 sides, ratio donor, correct profile ends and lamp pots. This, like the Ratio Composite I have, is going into pre 1908 chocolate and cream livery. A grabbed a second one because the aren't in production anymore and I fancy a couple for the future.
Progress has begun on the U12 compo. The Ratio chassis was a breeze to throw together, though I will say that despite the U12 sides still being available as an "introduction" to the conversion kits it doesn't remain so if you (like me) want the correct roof profile. Perhaps thats just my lack of skills showing, but so far its going OK. The U12s never had windows on the luggage compartment doors so in place of glazing I'm probably going to fit plasticard and top it off with some filler to the panel level. On the side I have some Triang clerestories soaking in disinfectant to get rid of a horrible paint job in North Eastern livery. Having volume one of the GWR coaches book by Russell is a god send for chopper upper inspiration.
Today I've had a little break from from the U12 to finally finish a project that dates from my last year at Uni. I got a Parkside Dundas PMV very early into my adoption of pre grouping modelling; one of the early batches from the immediate post grouping period. With very little effort (ie leave the side vents and destination boards off) you can backdate it to one of the SECR 1921 batches, including the prototype Cavell van from 1917. I honestly don't understand why Parkside never advertised this fact. It's turned out quite nicely. Now all it needs is the transfers to cure and a healthy dose of varnish and she is ready. Unlikely to run on Hotwells for any other reason than sh!ts and giggles mind...
A minor issue occurred in varinishing. Well, 2 actually. The first was that a 1 has slipped a bit out of alignment. The second is that a corner of the Tare/WB info square came off. It isn't noticeable at a distance BUT I KNOW IT'S THERE!!! So how to justify my laziness in not fixing it? Heavy handed baggage handlers at Dover Western Docks let a trolley smash into the side, and with grouping round the corner there's more important things to worry about than painting what will likely be stripped off anyway!
Apparently we are cresting the total number of infections, however we are also being told by our masters that it will take 6 months to end the quarantine. I sense a wee bit of political over estimation there for a biggus dickus contest... And where the waves crest up the Avon a dinky 4 wheeled carriage sits in Hotwells carriage siding waiting for it's next duty in ferrying the Dockers to Avonmouth... Enough with the BS. Closer to it is that I've had another go with the U12. Unlike on the actual etch the real Yueys didn't have windowed guards doors for the centre compartment as they were only ever used for luggage stowage. So to make up for this I've "glazed" the windows with a thin sheet of plasticard and laminated 2 inserts through the windows. I've filled the gaps in with model filler so I can file and sand it all down to the pannelling level. And the first end has been fitted to the chassis. At last, a slightly more 3 dimensional model.
Nice read so far. Even though I'm not a GWR (got what right) fan, I do enjoy a good read about kit building/bashing to perfect the model. What adhesive do you use to fix the brass coach ends to the Ratio underframe ? Also, will you solder the coach side walls to the coach ends ?? Cheers, Gary.
Considering China hid it for 3 months then only made it public in jan, unless we find a vaccine and can mass produce it quick enough, it may well be 6 months. However, there is a difference between us and the other countries... we don’t all live in blocks above one another, I do wonder if this will have a different impact on it all (especially for those more rural folk). Anyway, coach project looking good! Will follow the progress of the Green, wet and Rusty build.
Also we don't rely on "traditional" medicine made up from crushed rare animals. I'm just using superglue for the assembly in an attempt to prevent ending up with a molten plastic lump
Now I know why my models have been falling apart. I have been using crushed bat wings, pangolan kidneys and a little rat saliva thrown in for good measure as an adhesive... Damn these traditional recipes ! Cheers, Gary.
Speaking of buttocks and sofa pairings, my evening tonight has consisted of watching le Mrs playing GTA online and being targeted for being a "Squeaker". While having a giggle at the "Fcukbois" I've been beavering away at my one true passion: Not accepting substitutes and making 10 times as much work for myself to get an accurate pre grouping carriage and not Annie and Clarabel on steroids.
Oh its just the general lexicon of online gaming, "Squeaker" is GaMeR sPeAk for female, and I think the other one is a bit more self explanatory as a "person of generally unpleasant demeanor".